A few days passed, and finally, the day of Tachibana Iori’s first shift had arrived.

“I’m heading out to check on the other stores, so Natsuki, I’ll leave the newbie to you, okay?”

“………Got it.”

The manager was clearly enjoying the situation, dumping the orientation—something an actual employee should be handling—onto me. Because of that, I’d been pacing around the backroom for a while now. I just couldn’t seem to calm down.

“……No, no, work is work.”

I gave myself a mental slap.

It didn’t matter whether the newbie was a guy or a girl, or even if they were the so-called Prince of Suzakura. Sure, I was a little shocked to find out they actually existed, but rumors were never entirely reliable. For all I knew, a totally normal girl might walk in. If I, as their trainer, started acting all nervous, that would only confuse Tachibana. That would also mean betraying the manager’s trust.

“Honestly, the idea that a single student has every person in Suzakura High School falling for them is pretty hard to believe. If they were a handsome idol, maybe. But a girl?”

Even in today’s more open-minded society, that still seemed too far-fetched. I doubt even modern shoujo manga would use such an unrealistic setup. Not that I’ve ever read one.

“……”

The clock hands seemed to move painfully slow. Fifteen minutes until the morning briefing. If they were coming, it would be soon.

I stood in front of the mirror again, running a lint roller over my uniform. After so many passes, there wasn’t a speck of dust left.

The five S’s—”Sort,” “Set in order,” “Shine,” “Standardize,” and “Sustain”—were fundamental in the food service industry. If I slacked on that, Tachibana might assume that level of effort was acceptable. I couldn’t let my own negligence affect their performance.

As soon as I returned the lint roller to its hook—

A heavy metal door creaked open.

I turned around.

Our eyes met.

“I’m Tachibana Iori, starting work here today. Is the manager around?”

—Standing there was an unbelievably handsome girl.

◆

I knew staring at a woman was rude, but I couldn’t help myself. Surely, I could be forgiven.

Tachibana Iori was more famous to Aotaka High School students than any idol.

“Am I doing this right?”

“You’re good. Just make sure to get between your fingers, too.”

“Understood.”

As I supervised Tachibana washing her hands, I stole occasional glances at her.

Beneath her short black hair—almost boyish in style—her sharp, wide eyes sparkled as they studied the “Handwashing Guidelines” poster on the wall. Right beside her eye, a small mole rested subtly on her skin. Was that what they called a beauty mark?

She was shorter than me, but quite tall for a girl—probably around 170 centimeters. From beneath her Suzakura High School uniform, her long, slender legs extended gracefully, catching my attention.

…Now that I thought about it, what size was the Cyberia uniform? I’d have to ask her later.

“Five times on each wrist is enough.”

“Ah, I overdid it… How about this?”

Tachibana held up her freshly washed hands for me to inspect. Her pale fingers looked as flawless as a sculpture.

She gazed at me with her absurdly well-defined features, and—despite being a guy—I felt my heart skip a beat.

“Perfect. So… uh, what should we do next?”

I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I had zero experience with orientations, and no time to prepare.

“The manager isn’t around?”

Her voice was slightly husky, a little rough around the edges—somehow calming. It reminded me of a certain female singer-songwriter currently going viral. In other words, she had a damn good voice.

“Unfortunately, no. For now, I’m the one in charge of training you.”

“Is that so? Hmm… Yamabuki Natsuki, right?”

She leaned in to read my name tag. A refreshing scent, like peppermint, drifted toward me. Was she wearing cologne?

“Yeah, nice to meet you, Tachibana.”

“Likewise, Natsuki.”

She casually called me by my first name, catching me off guard. Then, with a quick smile, she turned and walked toward the locker area to drop off her belongings.

Despite this being her first shift, she carried herself with absolute confidence.

“……That rumor is definitely true.”

I was sure of it.

There was no winning against her.

No way in hell.

The so-called Prince of Suzakura, Tachibana Iori, was—

Frankly, I had no idea why someone like her was working here.

With her aura, she should’ve been on TV as a boyish actress, on the cover of fashion magazines, or—if nothing else—an actual prince somewhere. I wasn’t joking. I genuinely thought that.

She was a girl, but ridiculously cool.

“Natsuki, I need a uniform.”

Tachibana returned after storing her things. Even the way she walked was strikingly elegant.

“Ah, right. Do you know your size? Probably an S or M.”

“Hmm… What size is yours, Natsuki?”

“This is an L, I think.”

She stepped right up to me and reached out, as if comparing our proportions. My arms were definitely longer.

“If an L fits you like this, then I’d be an S. A snug fit would look better, I think.”

“Ah, but men’s and women’s uniforms are different. Not sure if that’ll work.”

Our store had elaborate uniforms, likely thanks to the manager’s taste. The kitchen and floor staff had separate designs, and even within the floor staff, men wore suits with bowties while women wore short maid-style dresses. Even if both were marked “L,” their actual sizes were different.

As I reached for a women’s uniform, Tachibana made a surprising request.

“No, I’d prefer the same design you’re wearing. Can I have that instead?”

“…I don’t think I can make that call myself.”

Cyberia was essentially the manager’s personal kingdom. If he approved something, it happened, no questions asked. Normally, I’d ask him first, but…

—”Natsuki, I’m leaving this to you.”

That meant I had to make the decision. And honestly, I had a feeling the manager would say the same thing.

“Alright, you can wear the men’s uniform.”

“Are you sure? Just now, you said you couldn’t decide.”

“I’m in charge of your training, so yeah, I’m sure.”

I handed her a men’s uniform. She took it, then looked me straight in the eye and smiled.

“Thanks, Natsuki. Looks like I’ve got a good senpai.”

—The Prince of Suzakura was the kind of person even guys could fall for.

Tomorrow, I was definitely telling Souta about this.